Goddard wants to build a pedestrian bridge over Kellogg. It seeks a $6M climate change grant

The city of Goddard — a suburb west of Wichita — is seeking a $6 million climate-change grant to build a footbridge over west Kellogg.

The bridge would be open to walkers and cyclists, connecting residential subdivisions north of the highway to Walmart and a Genesis Health Clubs sports complex south of Kellogg, according to Goddard’s work plan for the project that was submitted with its application to the EPA.

“The majority of housing in the city is on the north side of US-54/400, while most of the parks, schools, restaurants, and stores are located on the south side,” it says.

It would span Kellogg/US-54 somewhere between 183rd and 199th streets. The project would also include a mile of walking paths north and south of Kellogg running parallel to the highway.

“By serving as a connecting link, the Project will support mode shift from automobiles to walking and cycling,” the plan says.

The EPA’s Climate Pollution Reduction Grants program is a $5 billion pool of federal money set aside by the Inflation Reduction Act signed by President Joe Biden in 2022. Goddard says the bridge would cut down on greenhouse gas emissions by lowering automobile use.

“Walking and bicycling produce zero emissions during the activity itself, unlike automobiles which emit GHG (greenhouse gas) and other pollutants from burning fossil fuels,” it says.

It would also result in less idling on Kellogg than if the city were to build a crosswalk, the application says.

The bridge could also encourage exercise, the application says.

“People heading to the recently built Genesis Sports Complex could conveniently add to their workout by cycling or walking there,” it says.

Goddard has a population of around 5,000 people, bringing the total cost of the project to about $1,200 for each person who lives in the Goddard city limits. But Goddard’s proposal notes that it would benefit generations to come and drivers heading west from Wichita.

“The majority of (greenhouse gas) emissions reductions is attributed to reducing vehicle idling on US-54/400,” Goddard’s plan says. “Vehicle travelers would spend less time idling by simply passing beneath the shared-use bridge, compared to waiting at a crosswalk.”

This story was originally published April 8, 2024 at 5:35 AM.